Rapid set mechanism for calendar timepieces

ABSTRACT

THE MECHANISM OF THIS INVENTION PROVIDES MANUAL ADJUSTABILITY FOR A DATE-BEARING INDICIA MEMBER IN A TIMEPIECE. THE MECHANISM INCORPORATES A SETTING STEM MOVABLE INTO AT LEAST TWO POSITIONS, A NORMAL RUNNING POSITION AND A HAND-SETTING POSITION, HAVING A BIASED CLUTCH SLIDABLY MOUNTED THEREON WHICH ENGAGES A SETTING WHEEL. IN THE NORMAL RUNNING POSITION, THE STEM CARRIES A BIASED PAWL MOUNTED ON THE SETTING WHEEL FOR ROTATION RESPONSIVE TO THE ROTATION OF THE STEM WITHIN THE PERIPHERAL CONFINES OF THE TEETH ON SAID DATE-BEARING INDICIA MEMBER FOR MANUAL ADJUSTMENT THEREOF. THE BIASING MEMBER CARRIED BY THE PAWL PERMITS DISPLACEMENT OF SAID PAWL BY THE TEETH OF THE DATE-BEARING INDICA MEMBER WHEN THE CALENDAR INDICIA MECHANISM ADVANCES SAID MEMBER. A FRICTION WASHER ENGAGES SAID CLUTCH FOR PREVENTING INADVERTENT ROTATION OF THE STEM, BUT SAID WASHER IS ADAPTED TO YIELD TO PERMIT MANUAL ROTATION THEREOF. WHEN THE SETTING STEM IS DISPLACED LONGITUDINALLY TO THE HAND SETTING POSITION, THE SETTING WHEEL ENGAGES THE DIAL TRAIN, SAID CLUTCH IS DISENGAGED FROM THE FRICTION WASHER, AND SAID PAWL IS DISPLACED WITHOUT THE PERIPHERAL CONFINES OF THE TEETH ON SAID DATE-BEARING INDICIA MEMBER.

1971 c. w. HOUGENDOBLER 3,609,954

RAPID SET MECHANISM FOR CALENDAR TIMEPIECES 3 Shoots-Shoot 1 Fild Feb. 19, 1970 'INVENTOR CLEON w. HOUGENOOBLER I "ATTORNEYS 1971 c. w. HOUGENDOBYLER ,5

RAPID SET MECHANISM FOR CALENDAR TIMEPIECES Filed Feb. 19, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1971 c. w. HOUGENDQBLER RAPID SET MECHANISM FOR CALENDAR TIMEPIECES Filed Feb. 19, 1970 aim-Shoot 5 55 so as as so United States Patent 01 fice 3,609,954 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 3,609,954 RAPID SET MECHANISM FOR CALENDAR TIMEPIECES Cleon W. Hougendobler, East Petersburg, Pa., assignor to Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa. Filed Feb. 19, 1970, Ser. No. 12,210 Int. Cl. G04b 19/24 US. Cl. 58-4 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The mechanism of this invention provides manual adjustability for a date-bearing indicia member in a timepiece. The mechanism incorporates a setting stem movable into at least two positions, a normal running position and a hand-setting position, having a biased clutch slidably mounted thereon which engages a setting wheel.

In the normal running position, the stem carries a biased pawl mounted on the setting wheel for rotation responsive to the rotation of the stem within the peripheral confines of the teeth on said date-bearing indicia member for manual adjustment thereof. The biasing member carried by the pawl permits displacement of said pawl by the teeth of the date-bearing indicia member when the calendar indicia mechanism advances said member. A friction washer engages said clutch for preventing inadvertent rotation of the stem, but said washer is adapted to yield to permit manual rotation thereof. When the setting stem is displaced longitudinally to the hand setting position, the setting wheel engages the dial train, said clutch is disengaged from the friction washer, and said pawl is displaced without the peripheral confines of the teeth on said date-bearing indicia member.

This invention relates to a rapid, mechanical calendar or date ring setting mechanism for use in watches, clocks, and other timepieces having dateindicating mechanisms. It is intended primarily for an electric Watch movement having, or being adapted to have, a setting stem of at least two positions. The normal running position of the stem is utilized for manual date setting. The mechanism of this invention is not limited to use with an electric watch, however, but may also be used with a variety of other well-known watch movements.

There are many well-known timepieces in which the movement is provided with a date-bearing indicia member operated by an indexing mechanism in timed relation to the hour wheel of the timepiece thereby indicating successive dates. Typically, in a calendar watch system the dial side of the movement is provided with a calendar ring or disc rotatably mounted below the dial bearing 31 equally spaced numbers which are successively exposed through a window in the dial. The disc is advanced of a revolution each 24 hours by an indexing means interconnected with the dial train of the watch.

In existing calendar watch systems, the dial train is efiectively disconnected from the calendar indicia ring for about 21 hours with the appropriate date numeral on the calendar ring being exposed through a window in the Watch dial to indicate the date. In the remaining three hours, the dial train is drivingly engaged with the calendar ring, usually by a camming arrangement so as to cause the ring to advance of a revolution until a time,

usually around midnight, when the next numeral is exposed.

In other existing calendar watch systems, an instantaneous date change is brought about through the use of a shutter assembly and a camming arrangement whereby the shutter exposing a single numeral advances with the calendar ring within the dial window until midnight when the shutter falls to expose the next successive numeral on the ring.

Although a variety of dilferent calendar mechanisms for timepieces are known, a common problem exists in providing a mechanism for manually adjusting the calendar ring. At the end of a month having less than thirtyone days, the ring must be manually advanced, through the unused numerals, in order to begin the first day in the next month with the numeral 1 exposed on the dial. Also, in the case of newly purchased watches or watches allowed to run down, it may be necessary to reset the calendar ring in conjunction with setting the hands.

One method of advancing the calendar ring involves rotating the hands and advancing the ring with the advance of the hour or minute wheel. This procedure is awkward, disturbing to movement timekeeping, and requires that the hands be reset from a master time source after setting the date.

To avoid these difficulties, timepieces may utilize a three position stem having a normal running position, a position where the stem will set only the calendar ring, and a position wherein rotation of the stem will set only the hands. Inadvertent rotation of the crown when in the normal position will not move either the calendar ringor the hands. Although this type of timepiece solves the above difliculties, a standard two-position stem is more desirable in that elimination of the intermediate stem position will render the watch easier to adjust.

A prior device has utilized a two-position stem in a calendar watch mechanism; however, this device requires that the calendar indexing mechanism utilize an undesirable amount of reserve power to advance the calendar due to a meshing relationship between the setting mechanism and the calendar ring teeth. The calendar ring adjusting means is maintained within the peripheral confines of the calendar ring teeth, and therefore indexing by the calendar mechanism requires displacement of the calendar adjusting means either by forcing movement of a biased clutch member axially along the stem or by causing rotation of the clutch member and stem. The additional power required to index is undesirable in designing an inexpensive, and low energy consuming efficient timep1ece.

In contrast, the device of this invention utilizes a biased pawl rotatably mounted in cooperation with the stem and normally disposed to advance the calendar ring. In addition, a friction clutching assembly prevents inadvertent rotation of the stem and the calendar ring when the stem is in the normal or running position. In the said normal position, the stem is not engaged with the dial train. Rotation of the stem drives the calendar ring against the frictional resistance provided by the friction clutch. When the stem is in the hand-setting position and the stem engages the dial train, the friction clutch is disengaged and the biased pawl is disposed for rotation without the peripheral confines of the teeth on the calendar ring. Although during normal running the pawl is disposed within the confines of the said teeth as the calendar mechanism indexes and the calendar ring rotates, the pawl is adapted to ride out of the. said confines against the biasing pawl spring.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a rapid set mechanism for a timepiece calendar ring for manual adjustment thereof.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rapid set mechanism for a timepiece calendar ring having a normal running stem position wherein manual rotation of the stem will rotate the said calendar ring without moving the timepiece hands.

It is another object to provide a rapid set mechanism for a timepiece calendar ring adapted for use with a watch movement having a two-position stem wherein manual rotation of the crown when the stem is in the normal running position rotates a setting palwl within the peripheral confines of the teeth on the calendar ring advancing said ring, and longitudinal displacement of the said stem and manual rotation thereof in said displaced position causes said stem to engage and drive the dial train to set the timepiece hands.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a rapid set mechanism for a timepiece calendar ring adapted for use with a watch movement having a normal running stern position and a second, hand-setting stem position, said mechanism including a friction clutch engageable against inadvertent rotation when said stem is in the normal running position and adapted to be disengaged when said stem is in the hand-setting position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of the rapid set mechanism of this invention showing the stem in the normal running position; I

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view similar to FIG. 1 showing the stem displaced to the handsetting position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the setting mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the setting mechanism of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along line 66 of FIG. 4.

With reference to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the watch movement pictured includes a calendar ring 40 having internal gear teeth 42 extending circumferentially around the inner surface of said ring. For a more detailed discussion of the mounting for calendar ring 40, and associated calendar indexing mechanism, see, for example, assignees Pat. -No. 3,420,006 and Pat. 'No. 3,427,798, which are incorporated herein by reference. a

The upper surface of ring 40 is provided with equally spaced numerals from 1 to 31 (not shown) for successively indicating the date at a window in the dial (not shown) as the ring rotates of a revolution every 24 hours.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. the setting mechanism of this invention includes a stem. '44 having a setting lever slot 46 and shoulder 48, with substantially rectangular shaft portion 50, and terminating in a pin 52 which is slidably and rotatably mounted in a hole 54 in a stationary portion of the watch.

The rectangular shaft portion 50 carries a slidable clutch 56 having a cutaway internal area 58 as shown in FIG. 6, so that clutch 56 is slidable on shaft 50 but rotates with the said shaft 50 as stem 44 is rotated. Clutch 56 incorporates a clutch slot 60 and has radial grooves 62 on one face 64 and teeth 66 circumferentially disposed at the opposite face 68.

A friction washer 70 is coaxially mounted on the shaft portion '50 adjacent the grooved face 64 of clutch 56. Washer 70, as shown in FIG. 5, is mounted on shaft 50 at an axial hole 72 permitting relative rotation of shaft 50, but washer 70 being disposed abutting a stationary portion of the watch movement, does not rotate with shaft 50. The face 74 of washer 70 adjacent face 64 of clutch 56 bears a horizontal and vertical cross projection 76 disposed radially to the axis of said shaft '50 for mating with the radial grooves 62 on face 64 of clutch 56. The friction washer 70 may be constructed from a variety of well-known materials, such as hardened stainless steel, beryllium copper, or a tough plastic, such as polyurethane, although hardened carbon steel is preferred.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, setting lever 78, pivoted at 80, carries a follower 82 which rides in slot 46 on stem 44. Follower 82 is movable longitudinally with stem 44 to rotate setting lever 78 about its pivot 80. The end 84 of lever 78 is adapted to rotate clockwise responsive to outward longitudinal displacement of the stem 44 and counterclockwise responsive to inward displacement thereof.

Cap spring 86 has a spring arm 88 with a tip 90 adapted to engage pin 92 carried by end 84 of lever 78 to act as a spring detent yieldabl'y resisting rotation of setting lever 78 about pivot 80 and, through follower 82, yieldably resisting longitudinal displacement of stem 44.

Clutch lever 94, pivotally mounted at 96, has a clutch follower arm 98 adapted to be received in a slot 60 of clutch '56. Clutch lever 94 also has a lever arm 100 which rotatably mounts setting wheel hub pin 102. Pin x102 carries hub 104 which in turn engages setting wheel 106 and collar 108. Setting wheel 1% engages the teeth 66 of clutch 56 and selectively engages the dial train 110 as will be subsequently explained.

As shown in FIG. 2, when stem 44 is displaced longitudinally outwardly, follower 82 rotates setting lever 78 in a clockwise direction about pivot 80, urging end 84 into the cam surface 112 on clutch lever 94. The action of end 84 on surface 112 urges counterclockwise rotation about pivot 96 of clutch lever 94 against the action of clutch lever spring 114. When clutch lever 94 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, clutch follower arm 98 urges clutch 56 longitudinally along shaft 50 separating face 64 of clutch 56 from friction washer 70. Lever arm also carries the setting wheel in a longitudinal direction into engagement with the dial train as shown in FIG. 4, whereby rotation of stem 44 is imparted through teeth 66 of clutch 56 to setting wheel 106 and to thedial train to set the hands of the timepiece.

The rapid setting action of the calendar ring 40 is achieved when the stem -44 is in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Collar 108 carried by setting wheel hub 104 pivotally mounts pawl 116 at pin I118 and a pawl spring 120 at pin 122. Shoulder 124 of pawl 116 normally abuts the mounting portion of spring 120 at pin 122. This abutting relationship renders pawl 116 a one-way driver whereby a counterclockwise force applied to pawl 116 will cause the said pawl to pivot in a counterclockwise direction against spring 120 and about pin 118 out of a driving relationship with teeth 42 of ring 40.

Accordingly, the rapid set mechanism of this invention utilizes pawl 116 and pawl spring 120 in the following manner. Forward rotation of stem 44, in the normal or running position of FIGS. 1 and 3, drives, through clutch S15, setting wheel 106 in a counterclockwise direction which action carries pawl .116 in a counterclockwise direction about pin 102, within the peripheral confines of teeth 42 on calendar ring 40. Each rotation of pawl 116 advances ring 40 by one tooth.

Because pawl 116 advances only one tooth on ring 40 with each revolution, a spring detent 128 may be mounted at a stationary position on the watch adjacent the teeth 42 on ring 40 and designed to ride over the said teeth as the ring 40 is advanced. The detent 128 then acts to hold the ring 40 in place after pawl 116 advances one tooth, and during the remaining revolution prior to advancing the next successive tooth.

Backward rotation of stem 44 drives pawl 116 in a clockwise direction which, when pawl 116 encounters a tooth on ring 40, will cause pawl 116 to pivot about pin 118 against spring 120. This pivotal action causes pawl 116 to ride over teeth 42 without driving ring 40' in a backward direction. This one-way driving action of pawl 116 will avoid possible damage to the calendar indexing mechanism if the mechanism should be in the process of advancing ring 40 when stem 44 is rotated backwards. In addition, if after use of the rapid set mechanism, pawl 116 remains disposed between two adjacent teeth 42 while the indexing mechanism advances ring 40, the pawl merely pivots against the spring 120 riding over the ad vancing tooth and returning to the space between the next adjacent teeth. This pivotal action requires a negligible amount of additional power to drive the indexing mechanism in an electric watch as compared to that which would be required to advance the calendar ring and rotate the setting wheel and clutch and thereby displace the pawl if the said pawl was rigidly mounted on the collar for engaging the teeth 42 of ring 40 during normal running.

Operation of a watch movement with the rapid setting mechanism of this invention proceeds as follows:

The normal or in position of the stem 44, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, coincides with a neutral position in the conventional electric watches or the winding position in watches having a mainspring.

When the stem of the mechanism of this invention is in the in position, the setting wheel 106 engages only the clutch teeth 66 and does not engage the dial train 110. Grooves 62 on face 64 of clutch 56 receive the projections 76 of friction washer 70, thereby preventing inadvertent rotation of the stem 44 and setting wheel 106. Tip 90 of spring arm 88 about pin 92 on stem lever 78 for releasably preventing longitudinal displacement of stem 44 by preventing clockwise rotation of setting lever 78 about pivot point 80. Pawl 116 on collar 106 is disposed for rotation within the peripheral confines of teeth 42 on calendar ring 40. Therefore, when the stem 44 is in the in position, forward rotation of the setting stem, with sufiicient force to overcome the frictional resistance of washer 70 against clutch 56, will rotate pawl 116, advancing calendar ring 40 one tooth per revolution.

When the stem is displaced longitudinally to the out position of FIGS. 2 and 4, setting lever 78 rotates against the spring detent action of tip 90 and pin 92 until end 84 of the lever 78 acting against cam surface 112 of clutch lever 94 causes the said lever to rotate about pivot point 96 in a counterclockwise direction. This rotation carries the setting wheel 106 on arm 100 of lever 94 into meshing engagement with the dial train 110, and displaces clutch 56 laterally along shaft 50 by the action of arm 98 on lever 94. Displacement of clutch 56 separates clutch face 64 from friction washer 70 and removes the pawl 116 from rotational engagement with teeth 42 on ring 40.

Thereafter, rotation of stem 44 is transmitted through the setting wheel 106 to the dial train 110 to set the hands of the watch in a conventional manner without causing rotation of ring 40 which is held in place by spring detent 128.

Reinsertion of the stem to the in position for normal running, as described above, reintroduces pawl 116 for rotation within the peripheral confines of teeth 42 on calendar ring 40, disengages setting wheel 106 from dial train 110, and engages clutch 56 with friction washer 70 against inadvertent rotation of stem 44.

The invention as herein described incorporates the action of a friction washer and a pivotal biased pawl to provide a two-position setting mechanism for a timepiece. The mechanism of this invention may be adapted to a variety of conventional calendar-type watch movements, either electric or of the winding type.

The rapid set mechanism requires only two positions of the stern and utilizes the normal running position to independently set the calendar ring. When the stem is pulled out, the stem may be used to set the hour and minute indicators through the dial train. Inadvertent advancement of the calendar ring when the stem is in the in position is resisted by a coaxially mounted friction washer, and damage to the calendar indexing mechanism through rotation of the calendar ring in an opposite direction thereto or by requiring the said mechanism to displace the rapid set setting mechanism to index is eliminated by inclusion of a one-way driving, biased setting pawl.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications to the rapid set mechanism disclosed are contemplated within the scope of this invention.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing de scription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United states Letters Patent is:

1. In a setting mechanism for a calendar timepiece having a setting stem, detenting means coupled to said stem for detenting said stem in at least two separate, longitudinal positions, date indicating means, and dial train means, the improvement comprising:

a clutch slideably mounted for rotation on said stem;

a setting Wheel rotatably engaging said clutch, means responsive to the longitudinal displacement of said stem, connecting said stem and said clutch, for urging said clutch and said setting wheel into coupling engagement with said dial train when said stem is longitudinally displaced to an outermost position, and for uncoupling said clutch and setting wheel from said dial train when said stem is longitudinally displaced to the innermost position;

advancing means coaxially mounted on said setting wheel and normally releasably coupled to said date indicating means for advancing said date indicating means responsive to rotation of said setting wheel only when said stem is in the innermost position; releasable friction means connecting said stem and; said clutch when'said stem is in the innermost position, said friction means adapted to resist rotation of said stem when said stem is in the innermost position.

2. A setting mechanism for a calendar timepiece comprising a calendar ring, a dial train, a rotatable and longitudinally movable setting stem, a clutch resiliently biased and keyed to the end of said setting stem, a setting wheel engaging said clutch, said clutch adapted to drive said setting wheel when said stem is rotated, means responsive to longitudinal movement of said stem for coupling said setting wheel and said dial train when said stem is longitudinally moved to an outermost position and for uncoupling said setting wheel and said dial train when said stem is moved to an innermost position, rotatable driving means carried by said setting wheel for selectively engaging said calendar ring only when said stem is irian innermost position, and friction means keyed to the end of said stem and releasably engaging said clutch against rotation only when said stem is in an innermost position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said calendar ring includes a plurality of teeth circumferentially disposed at the inner surface thereof and said rotatable driving means comprises a base coaxially mounted on said setting wheel, a biased pawl mounted on said base, said pawl adapted to rotate within the peripheral confines of said teeth when said stem is in an innermost position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said pawl is pivotally mounted on said base and said base further comprises a stop disposed in abutting relationship to said References Cited pawl, the bias normally urging said pawl against said stop UNITED STATES PATENTS so that when said stem is in an innermost position and said 6 base rotates said pawl coacts with said stop and said g et 5 58 teeth to advance said ring in one direction only. 5 utter et a 5 58 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said friction means RICHARD H WILKINSON, Primary Examiner comprises a friction washer slidably mounted on said stem adjacent said clutch, said washer releasably engaging SIMMONS Asslstant Exammer said clutch against rotation when said stem is in an in- 10 5 CL nermost position. 58-58, 85.5 

